Brought home another Winchester today! :)

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Early last month I wandered into a little gun shop looking for some 338 WM ammo for my rifle. Ended up buying my son his Christmas present, an old Winchester model 69a bolt action 22. It is his first real firearm and you should have seen him when he unwrapped it at Christmas!

But when I was there picking that up, I noticed a model 94 that caught my attention. It has checkering on the wood, was marked "unfired" on the tag, and chambered in 375 Winchester. Wait..what?? What is this 375 Winchester round?????

So when I got home, I did quite a bit of looking and research on this caliber I had never heard of before.

Turns out, this was a model 94 Big Bore. It was a special model 94 with a beefed up receiver designed to take the extra power of the 375 and 2 other new calibers designed for the 94 Big Bore. The first Big Bore was introduced in late 1978 in one caliber, the 375 Win. A couple years later 2 others were introduced, the 307 Win and 356 Win. All 3 of these rounds offer a higher level of performance than usual for a model 94. Those of you who are into reloading I would encourage you to look up some ballistics on each. They are all quite impressive for the horsepower they deliver from the model 94. I WAS HOOKED AN ENAMORED!

Unfortunately, these Big Bores didn't build a following as Winchester had hoped. The 375 was the first one dropped in 1984, then the 356 and 307 a few years later. Because of the low production numbers, factory ammo and even components to make your own are only seasonally produced and very hard to find most of the time. It's such a shame too, Marlin bragged about doing something groundbreaking with the 308 Marlin Express in the early 2000's... And not that I have anything against Marlin, but Winchester already did it in 1980 with the 307 Winchester.

But anyway, now that I have given a little background to these unique lever rifles, I got one!!!

An unfired 375 Win. Dealer made me a great deal on it and threw in for free 26 rounds of factory ammo he happened to have on hand with $60 on the box. Now he could have gotten north of $80 for that ammo on Gunbroker. I paid about $200 less for my 94 Big Bore than most sell for on Gunbroker that have been used.

This is definitely a reloaders rifle as factory ammo gets bid to prices approaching $100 per 20 and in some cases higher on auction sites like Gunbroker.

I think this rifle is going to be tons of fun! And with the parent case of the 375 Win being the old 38-55 Win I can dial back the power if the wife wants to try her hand at taking a deer with it. She is pretty recoil sensitive.

Here are the only pics I have at the moment.

Anyone else into the Winchester lever rifles?? Might go for an old 1886 in 45-70 or 45-90 sometime... ;)

[jays375]

Nice piece!

[El Camexican]

Cool story, but then again I LOVE lever actions!:Bounce

[Chopsaw]

Very nice . I don't have a lever action yet , but lookin for the right one . Not sure about the un fired . I 've never bought a new hand gun or rifle that didn't come with a spent shell casing in a bag with the time and date it was test fired .

[yaegerb]

Very nice! I have a MINT early 1964 (pre-64) lever action .30-30, that probably has only 20 or so rounds through it and has all the accompanying paperwork. Quite the conversation starter ;)

[RIDE-RED 250r]

I don't believe any states to this point require a spent case from long guns for cataloging as many do with handguns. Unfired rifles can be found. But in any case it doesn't matter to me either way if this rifle has been fired or not because I fully intend to let er rip! :) If this rifle has been fired the round count is extremely low, as in 20 or less. Its that clean and shows no signs of any rounds being cycled through the action.

[slashfan7964]

Nice piece!!! I love my Winchester 12 gauge...the old Ranger 120.

[Buck Snort]

Right on! You and your son will enjoy those guns. I am a lefty, so I have always liked levers. I have my Grandpa's old 30-30 Winchester that has been well used. Also have a couple of Marlins. A 30-30 and a 45-70.

[jays375]

Check out Brass Bank on Facebook.One good forum also is Graybeard Outdoors for brass.375 bullets are hard to come by currently.

[coolpool]

Great purchase! I have a lot of respect for folks who reload; it's uncanny how the rounds can be dialled in for greater accuracy. I've never heard of the moniker 'un-fired" as it relates to purchasing a new firearm. I guess the companies do things differently in Canada. I just assume they are test fired, cleaned and sent on their way. My first new rifle was a Winchester Model 94AE, 16 1/2" barrel(Trapper Special) which I bought in 1984. I still pack it to this day when hunting moose from the canoe.

[B-1B]

Nice find! Lever actions are fun. I really enjoy my 45-70

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Great purchase! I have a lot of respect for folks who reload; it's uncanny how the rounds can be dialled in for greater accuracy. I've never heard of the moniker 'un-fired" as it relates to purchasing a new firearm. I guess the companies do things differently in Canada. I just assume they are test fired, cleaned and sent on their way. My first new rifle was a Winchester Model 94AE, 16 1/2" barrel(Trapper Special) which I bought in 1984. I still pack it to this day when hunting moose from the canoe.

Well, I believe attention was drawn to the likelihood it is "unfired" due to the fact this rifle was made in around 1980. After close inspection, I really don't doubt it has never been fired.

As to factory testing, I suspect firearms are batch tested much the way many mass produced items are. I have not read this in black and white myself, but I do know that in heavy industry many mass produced items are tested on a 1 out of 100, or 1 out of 1000 and so on basis. It is interesting to speculate and I would just for plain old curiosity's sake like to know what the factory functionality testing policies are of my favorite firearms manufacturers.

Handguns are another critter... Being that so many states (including NY) require a spent shell casing for all new handguns purchased within the state for cataloging, I'm fairly certain that most if not all major handgun makers send a spent case with every handgun shipped... I haven my doubts they only do it with a certain amount to appease the useless anti-2nd states like mine. The logistics of keeping track of handguns with an accompanying spent case and those without in my mind would seem much more trouble than it would be worth. And on this topic and interesting in my opinion, the spent casing cataloging program here in NY has NEVER been of use in solving a crime... and it costs us taxpayers here millions per year to keep the program running and for the ever increasing warehousing of all the casings.... Oh but it's reasonable and smart and if it saves just 1 life, right? .... :crazy:

Reloading my own ammo has proven to be a very satisfying hobby at the very least for me. And I have noticed increased accuracy in my handloaded rounds for my deer rifle. I just got into it about 2 years ago now. And I realize it may be considered heresy around here, but I enjoy time at my loading bench as much as I enjoy time in the garage wrenching on my wheelers. It's amazing how much one learns when stepping into the world of making your own ammunition! It's an incredibly satisfying pass-time. :) The cost savings once you get your tooling established is a nice fringe benefit...

A 94 Trapper is my list. My brother has a Trapper in 30-30, his wife has one in 44mag, and my other brother has one in 32spl. I would very much like to get one in 44mag.

[thcowboy]

Yeah nice i have a winchester 94 too. Its sad that remmington and marlin got bought out by george soros (owner of progressive insurance) and hes a liberal and now there new guns are trailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro. Shoulda gotten a nice older marlin 39a. They were a nice lever .22

[Buck Snort]

I agree but I bought a Marlin 30-30 last year for my daughter and it is awesome. Shoots very respectable. Guess I got lucky.
Yeah nice i have a winchester 94 too. Its sad that remmington and marlin got bought out by george soros (owner of progressive insurance) and hes a liberal and now there new guns are trailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro. Shoulda gotten a nice older marlin 39a. They were a nice lever .22

[thcowboy]

Yeah theres a certain cutoff date where they turned into $h!t.

I agree but I bought a Marlin 30-30 last year for my daughter and it is awesome. Shoots very respectable. Guess I got lucky.

[plastikosmd]

yep love the levers, got a bunch of Winchesters 30-30, couple 357s, 25-20, 22, 22mag, 50-110
just put some money down on my first marlin lever. old, abused 39a that needs a home and some tinkering

[RIDE-RED 250r]

yep love the levers, got a bunch of Winchesters 30-30, couple 357s, 25-20, 22, 22mag, 50-110
just put some money down on my first marlin lever. old, abused 39a that needs a home and some tinkering


That 50-110 an 1886 by any chance???

[plastikosmd]

ya, think I had it on here before, tuned up by turnbull. racking the action, u think you are cocking a howitzer

thinking of having the 25-20 done over also
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/50-110/b5d156210b73fefeb3198f5eb7bd2a27_zps7d199052.png
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/50-110/a4ad529d2968582b79b31ff4f8af607e_zpsd0592d4f.png
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/50-110/87eba64f55bb89571fd1ed97f2af9a1d_zps88896247.jpg

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Yes yes.,... I do recall you posting it up at some point in one of your or my gun threads!!

BEAUTIFUL Turnbull 1886!!! Jealous as HEEEELLLL am I!! Love their color case hardening, looks like blue flames.

I would really like to get my hands on an '86 someday. They sure don't give those bad boys away... :(

[thcowboy]

Standard 39a? In other words, is it plain with a thick forearm?

[86waterpumper]

I have a 1972 marlin lever (.35 remington). It is getting hard to find that ammo too, everybody seems to just make .30 .30 mostly these days. Anyway for sure there is a big big difference in the new marlin production and the older ones. I would say sometime during the 90s is when things really got bad but things got worse when remington bought them out a few years back and they changed locations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi79kO51R4U


There is a guy on youtube showing a new marlin 39a and the rifling inside the barrel has chatter marks crossways in the bore from the tooling. It is really bad it looks like dozer tracks haha. If you deer hunted at close range it would probably make a big entry wound because the bullet would probably hit it sideways. The metal on the receivers is a different finish and color than the barrels etc. The wood also does not line up where it meets the back of the receiver good, and the wood if you can call it that on the new guns looks more like something on a kid's bb gun? I guess it is a laminate but it doesn't look real it looks plastic is the best way I know to describe it. Most of the barrels have even come out with the sights canted over towards the right. This guy on youtube had sent 3 guns back to the factory and gotten a bad one every time. I would find a older lever gun even if it cost more than a new one, unless you want something like a .45/70 guide gun which hasn't been made all that long. I think it was 1982 or 1983 when they started putting safetys on them, so I prefer ones older than that, but anything early 90s and older would probably be safe quality wise.211075

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Yep.. just like with many things, older is often better to some degree.

I love my newer S&W revolvers, but the older P&R models are just a cut above in my opinion. It's amazing to me that many older model Smiths bring as much or more than their current production sisters do NIB. Talk about retaining value!

[plastikosmd]

Not sure if u were askin me cowboy?

The 39 is an old one, don't have it in yet. Was plain and rather thick if memory serves

[thcowboy]

Not sure if u were askin me cowboy?

The 39 is an old one, don't have it in yet. Was plain and rather thick if memory serves

Probably is a standard 39a.

My dad has one and my uncles and grandpas have 39as and my grandpa has a golden 39a. Where a 39a family :lol: